Kaleidoscope
by NogeiloGirl
Summary: A broad spectrum of emotions add color to a normally ordinary day in the Life of Sam and Jack..
1. On His Last Multicolored Marble

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1. Gekko, RDA etc., have the rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts.   
  
Kaleidoscope   
  
A broad spectrum of emotions add color to a normally ordinary day in the Life of Sam and Jack..  
  
Chapter 1: On His Last Multi-colored Marble.   
  
*Sam has a date!*  
"Sir?" Carter waved a hand in front of his face.   
"I had a date," she re-iterated.   
He shook his head and narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean, had?" She looked at him as if he had lost his last marble.   
"Exactly as I said. Jeff was called away on an unexpected business trip."  
"Oh, your blood-sucking lawyer boyfriend," Jack said acerbically, resuming his walk down the halls of the SGC.   
"He is not blood-sucking," she said defensively, quickening her steps to keep up with him.   
"How long has he been going out with you now? And he is already dumping you?" *The more brutal I am, the easier it is for me to keep my feelings at bay.*  
"He is not dumping me and he is not my boyfriend," she corrected. Dejected, Carter hung her head. "We decided a few days ago that it just wasn't working out. We are just friends. But he purchased these tickets three weeks ago, and neither one of us wanted to let them go to waste," she trailed off. Jack stopped walking and turned to face Carter.  
"Have you asked Daniel?" he asked, more gently this time.  
Sam nodded. "I already did, but he and Janet are attending the annual archeology convention tonight."  
"Ah, the annual convention of rock studying. Sweet."  
Turning away, Sam replied frostily, "Sarcasm will not get you everywhere Colonel."   
Ruefully, Jack grabbed her arm and forced her to face him. "What time do you want me to pick you up?" 


	2. Every Time She Smiles

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1, nor the show. RDA, Gekko, etc., have those rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts  
  
Chapter 2: Every Time She Smiles.  
  
"You mean it? Oh thank you sir!" She reached out to hug him, but stopped short. Disappointed, Sam stepped back from Jack. "This means a great deal to me. I didn't want to have to go by myself."  
"Understood Major," Jack said briskly. "Now, if you'll excuse me."  
Sidestepping her, his usually sure stance seemed slightly wobbly to Sam, as she watched him walk the short distance to his quarters.   
Hours later, Jack kept muttering to himself, "This is a bad idea," as he thought back to their phone conversation. "We are tempting fate here, and nothing can become of it." Frowning darkly, he scrutinized his appearance in the floor-length mirror as he straightened his white, polyester jacket. "And I don't dance. How did I let her talk me into dancing." *Why didn't she tell me it was a dance club when she had me in the flesh? Of course not, she knew I wouldn't go. Instead, she gets me on the phone an hour before and gives me the details.* He grinned at himself in the mirror. "Sneaky little Minx, she knew I wouldn't back out then." He scowled at his unruly hair, seeming to notice it for the first time. Dabbing a little bit of Brill Creme onto the palm of his hand, he attempted to make himself look decent. "Darn cowlick!" he exclaimed. "Never changes," he muttered. "At least I still fit into my clothes," he stated with satisfaction as he locked the front door behind him. "Managed to keep my good figure," he said to himself, chuckling.   
Twirling in front of the mirror, Sam smoothed down her dress. "I don't know." She stared uncertainly at herself in the mirror. "Maybe, I should wear the blue one." She sighed and plopped down on her bed. "Who am I kidding? I've just been telling myself all day long, it's not a date, it's not a date, but for crying out loud, it is!" She closed her eyes. "I am definitely tempting fate." Sam smiled faintly, *But is that really a bad thing?* 


	3. Hey Cinderella, You Forgot Your Shoe!

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1, nor the show. RDA, Gekko, etc., have those rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts  
  
Chapter 3: Hey Cinderella, You  
Forgot Your Shoe!  
  
A knock sounded at the door, causing her to jump off the bed. "Oh no, he's here already! Sam did a double take as she looked at her watch. He's early! Hobbling to the door with only one shoe on, Sam was hopping up and down on one foot by the time she opened the door.   
"Well, this is interesting," Jack started, a smirk forming on his lips.  
"Not another word Jack," she warned, holding her free hand up to silence him.  
He beamed at her word usage. "Call me that for the rest of the evening and I won't tell another living soul."  
"Deal," she replied, breathless.   
"So are you ready?" he asked.  
"Give me five minutes," Sam promised. "Sit down and make yourself at home," she urged racing back to the bedroom. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he sat down on the overstuffed, white sofa. *Beautiful woman in a kid's body.* His smile quickly turned to a frown. *Where did that thought come from?* Five minutes turned into ten minutes, then fifteen. Impatiently, he glanced down at his watch. "Saamm!" he yelled. "Are you.." his voice failed him as he stared at his 2ic, now in front of him. Same flowing pink dress, but with a matching crocheted pink shaw draped over her shoulders. Her growing blond locks curling at the nape of her neck.   
"Wow, you look very pretty Sam."   
She smiled. "You don't look so bad yourself Colonel."   
Jack held open the pick-up's door for her. *Too elegant to take her in this thing.*   
Noticing his obvious unease, Sam replied. "I like your truck. It's roomy and comfortable inside."   
"Thanks." Jack didn't even feel the tires crunch along the gravel driveway. He was too far off the ground. 


	4. Scrapbook of Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1, nor the show. RDA, Gekko, etc., have those rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts  
  
"Stayin Alive" and More Than a Woman," are by the Bee Gees. "Let's Go Round Again," is originally done by Average White Band, and later re-done by Louise. I would imagine that George Lucas has the rights to the "Star Wars theme." I do not know who has the rights to "The Hustle," but it is not me! lol! I do not have the rights to any of the above songs.   
  
Chapter 4: Scrapbook of Memories  
  
Jack helped Sam with her Shaw when they entered the club. "Your shaw is very unique. Where did you buy it?" he asked, curious.  
"I didn't," she said softly, "Mom made it for me when I was little. She told me I would grow into it." Tears glistened in her eyes at the memory.   
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't.." Jack trailed off. Uncomfortably, he averted his eyes to the floor.   
Sam put her hand on his arm. "Don't be. It brings back the fond memories I have of my mother. More for my scrapbook," she said, delicately tapping her temple with a fingernail. Her soft smile coaxed a shy smile from Jack. *He looks so vulnerable. It's endearing, just like that cowlick..* Sam's head snapped up to meet the voice that was speaking to her.   
"So, do you want to get something to eat?" Jack looked at her. "You okay? I noticed you staring at me with some sort of dreamy look on your face."  
*Dreamy? Oh no, he noticed!*   
"Huh, oh I'm fine. Yes please, I'm starved!"  
A short time later, after finishing their dessert of Chocolate Mousse, Jack watched in faint amusement as the disco ball slowly lowered out of the ceiling and brightly colored strobe lights danced around the room. "You know I haven't done this since, eh, a while." Sam looked at him sideways, stifling a giggle.   
Jack looked at her, feigning severity. "That's right Major, no giggling."   
"The last time I did this was about, oh, ten years ago."  
"You're showing your age Carter."  
"A lot less than you O'Neill."  
"Ooh, that smarts." Jack grinned. "I'll promise to step on your toes, if you step on mine."  
"Sounds good, my feet are much smaller than yours anyway." Sam grinned smartly back at him.  
"On a roll tonight, eh Carter," Jack remarked dryly as they stepped out onto the dance floor.   
  
"Let's go round again.  
Maybe we'll turn back the hands of time.  
Let's go round again."  
  
"Yep, I'm going round again, as I twirl you again and again and again." Faking dizziness, Jack lolled his head from side-to-side. Sam just laughed as Jack pulled her to him on the last twirl. He gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat at the realization of her nearness to him. His heart matched hers, in bongo drum rhythm, as he kept his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Her doe-like eyes stared up, innocent and wide-eyed, into his. The spell was broken as 'Star Wars,' disco theme pounded into their heads. "Do you know how long it's been since I've heard this song?" Jack yelled over the din of the music.  
Sam grinned devilishly, "Too long, as I recall you saying. Eh Colonel?"   
Jack stared at her, open-mouthed. He shook his head. "Why you little Minx."   
Her smile brightening, Sam's ears picked up the strains of 'Staying Alive.' "So O'Neill, still rusty at doing the Hustle?"  
"Me, never! I love a challenge." Sam stood back and watched in amusement as he did a darn good performance, white bell bottoms, platforms and all. Surprised, Jack grabbed her arm and dragged her into the dance. "Don't think for a minute that I'm letting you go without some public embarrassment as well." She laughed as he brought his arms around her in a firm embrace from behind. *I feel so good, so free, just watching her laugh, enjoy herself and relax.* Jack watched in pleasant surprise as other couples around them began to dance the hustle as well. "It looks like we are all embarrassed now," Jack whispered into her ear. At the feel of his warm breath against her ear, Sam could feel her face grow warm. Beads of sweat began to glisten on her forehead.   
"I'm a little tired. How about we take a break?"   
Jack released her. "Sure," he replied, eyeing her warily. As they sat out the next few songs, Sam watched numerous couples dance together, intimately, out on the dance floor. Her mood quickly began to equal that of the blue spotlights swirling around the couples. Suddenly, Jack jumped up. "Come on, dance with me!" he cried. Grasping her hands in his, he pulled her up.   
As he led her out onto the dance floor, Sam protested nervously, "Bu, but Jack this is a slow song." Sam was sorely tempted to drag her feet as she heard the soft voice of Barry Gibb crooning, 'More Than a Woman,' filter through the speakers.   
"So." *The slower the better.* Sam scrunched up her nose, trying desperately to figure out what he was thinking. She let out a barely audible sigh. *He's good at hiding his emotions.*   
"You, on the other hand, are not," Jack stated, a smirk on his face.  
Startled, Sam stared up at him. "Am I that easy to read?"   
"Sometimes," Jack said, placing her bare arms around his neck.   
Sam staunchly screwed up her face to look stoic. "Can you tell what I am thinking now?" Jack looked down at her. He tried to keep from bursting out loud with laughter, although inside was another matter altogether.   
Barely concealing a smile, he answered with a straight face. "You're not comfortable with your arms wrapped around my neck."  
"Wrong," Sam replied, her face breaking out into a smile. "I'm not sure if I am comfortable having you kiss me."  
"Ah, don't we think highly of ourselves," Jack admonished.  
Sam just kept giving him that know-it-all smile of hers.  
A gleam in his eye, Jack stated, "Well, we'll just have to find out your comfort kissing zone won't we." Sam smiled eagerly, as she tightened her arms around his neck and leaned in for a kiss. His lips, warm and inviting, felt so right upon hers. With one hand cradling her head and the other supporting her back and waist, Jack deepened the kiss, nearly taking Sam's breath away.   
Sam's cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright when he finally pulled away. "I think, I am very comfortable with your kissing zone."   
"Sweet." 


	5. Be Home By the Stroke of Midnight

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1, nor the show. RDA, Gekko, etc., have those rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts  
  
Chapter 5: Be Home By the Stroke of Midnight  
  
The magical evening seemed to dissipate as the multi-colored strobe lights of red, blue, pink, green and yellow suddenly went down and the disco ball went back from whence it came. Sam blinked at the sudden bright light that filled the room. She glanced down at her watch. "Oh! Is it that late already?" She glanced at Jack, who scowled.   
"What time is it?"   
"It's 15 minutes to 12:00."   
"I suppose we had better go." His hand at her back, Jack picked up her purse and handed it to her.   
As they got into Jack's truck, a morose silence fell over them. Too soon, Jack could feel the gravel crunch beneath the tires as he saw Sam's porch light come on.   
Sam turned to him. "Jack, what do we do? We can't keep dangling the carrot in front of ourselves without biting sooner or later."  
Sighing, he turned to her. "I think we took a nibble tonight don't you?"  
She smiled slightly. "Are you saying that we should break   
the rules?"  
"No. Not yet."  
"No, not yet! Well, falling in love was out of the question too, but it's already happened!" Sam snapped. "I can't change how I feel."  
Jack looked sharply at Sam. He fairly knew that she loved him. *A part of me is reassured when Sam tells me she loves me, despite the fact we can do nothing about it.*   
"You know that I wish we could bend.."  
"I don't give a crap about bending, I want to twist and turn the rules inside out!" Sam cried. Jack stared at her, mildly astonished at her quite hostile reaction.   
She shrugged, unrepentant.   
"Sam," Jack said gently, "don't you think I want the same things you do? Marriage, kids.."  
"Whoa, whoa, I never mentioned any of those things."  
Jack smiled. "You didn't have to."  
Sam smiled. "I don't want you to want those things just because I do."  
"I want them for both of us."  
Resolutely, Jack climbed out of the truck. "I need to have you home before midnight, remember?" he said, a lop-sided grin on his face.  
Sam refused to look at him as he helped her down out of the passenger side.   
"Jack," she pleaded, tears in her eyes. She searched his face intently as they stood on her doorstep. He could see her face clearly in the moonlight, their own natural disco ball. "One last kiss goodnight?" Raising her now tear-stained face to his, she brushed back a lock of his unruly graying hair. Unable to resist, she tried to push his cowlick down. Shaking her head, Sam let out a trembling laugh. With a heavy heart, Jack desperately pulled Sam to him and kissed her salt-flavored lips. 


	6. Bite the Big One

Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of SG-1, nor the show. RDA, Gekko, etc., have those rights. Lucky them. :)  
  
* indicate person's thoughts  
  
Chapter 6: Bite the Big One  
  
One month later:  
"General Sir." Sam saluted General Hammond as he stepped into the room.   
"At ease Major." After relaxing her stance, General Hammond asked her to sit.   
Apprehension welling up within her, Sam asked, "Is something the matter sir?"  
"More like someone."  
'Oh no! Not Jack! Please not Jack!' Involuntarily, a gasp emitted from her lips. Quickly she recovered and clapped a hand over her mouth.   
"Colonel O'Neill is leaving us for a little while."  
Incredulously, Sam asked, "Wha, what? He's okay?"   
"If you call his leaving okay, yes."  
"Why, where is he going?"  
"That is not of consequence at the moment. I need to know if you feel capable of filling his shoes?"  
Wide eyed, she responded, "Oh sir, I would never feel capable of filling his shoes." Shocked by her response, General Hammond stared at her. "Although, I do feel very capable of  
filling my own, they are much smaller." He had to smile at that. Taking a deep breath, he continued.   
"I'm relieved to hear you say that Major, because I think you would be a most fitting replacement for the Colonel, in time. As you well know, you would be handling several missions as acting commander, in the event Jack would be," he paused, "unavailable."  
"I understand sir."  
General Hammond smiled kindly at her. "Good."   
Her happiness fast dissolving at the thought of Jack leaving, she repeated the question.   
"Where is he going? Has he left already?" She asked worriedly. *Whatever happens, I have to say goodbye.* Sam closed her eyes and tried to push back the emptiness quickly filling her heart.   
"Hey Minx."   
Instantly, Sam opened her eyes. "Jack!" Wasting no time,   
she crossed the distance of the room between them. Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and refused to let go. Smiling, General Hammond quietly crept out of the room.   
"Hey, you can let go now. Breathing is a necessity you know," Jack said with a laugh. Hesitantly, Sam pulled back.   
"General Hammond said you were leaving. Why? Where?" She wanted to cry. *I will not cry in front of Jack again. Especially if he is leaving!*  
"Hey, don't cry okay,' Jack pleaded.  
"I'll cry if I want to! Hey, how did you know?" Sam demanded.   
"Because it's written all over your face," he said with a laugh. "I am not leaving you. I did this for you."  
Sam looked at him, perplexed. "Did for me? What?"  
"I am officially going into semi-retirement."  
"But, we are still working under the same unit together. How?"  
"Questions, questions. Now you know how I feel." Jack grinned mischievously. Patiently, Sam waited for him to continue. "Yes, that's true, but thankfully, there are quite a few loopholes. For once, I am glad the government is notorious for having lots and lots of red tape. And General Hammond was kind enough to provide the background info on those loopholes."   
"So, are you semi-retired now?"  
"No, not yet," Jack replied, a knowing smile on his lips.   
"When are, hey wait a minute! You said that a month ago. You had this all planned didn't you?" she accused.   
"I had been thinking about it," Jack confessed.  
A guilty look crossed her face. "Wait, if my ranting and raving that night made you decide to do this.."  
"No, you didn't make me feel guilty at all," he said with a smirk. "Holding you in my arms earlier that night did me in."  
"So, do you want to date first or get married?" Jack asked, rocking back and forth on his heels.   
"Ah, don't we think highly of ourselves. Tell you what,   
romance me a little more and I'll think about it," Sam replied with an impish grin.  
"Yes Ma'am!" Jack replied eagerly in mock salute.  
"That's Minx to you O'Neill!" Smiling, she pulled his head down for a kiss.  
  
The end? 


End file.
